Even Wikipedia tells us a more complex story about empowerment: yes, anyone can edit it, but not anyone can see their edits preserved for posterity. The latter depends, to a large extent, on the politics and the power struggles inside Wikipedia . . .

"Empowerment" isn't about getting to do whatever you want and have everyone have to put up with it. That's also not what democracy is. Wikipedia isn't a perfect system, but it is much more empowering than, say, Encyclopedia Britannica.

It seems the author is simply setting up that scenario to be easily proved false in order to further his own claims rather than letting them stand on their own merit.

Ishkur:It's called Slacktivism: How to contribute to a cause or purpose without it being in any way costly, time-consuming, disruptive or inconvenient to your lifestyle. The Internet lives by this decree.

Forward this to 10 of your friends if you agree. And Friend it on Facebook. And Follow it on Twitter.

"Someone said something about wikipedia, or democracy, or something. Meme. Thanks for the click, moron."

True, but it's far worse when she tries to come up with original things to say. I honestly don't get what Gawker sees in her, or why Fark posts so many damn i09 links (I suspect they pay for them). I suppose you could argue that their non-fat-slob-editor-in-chief writers are mildly interesting on occasion, but just barely.

Ishkur:It's called Slacktivism: How to contribute to a cause or purpose without it being in any way costly, time-consuming, disruptive or inconvenient to your lifestyle. The Internet lives by this decree.

Forward this to 10 of your friends if you agree. And Friend it on Facebook. And Follow it on Twitter.

I drunk what:Ishkur: It's called Slacktivism: How to contribute to a cause or purpose without it being in any way costly, time-consuming, disruptive or inconvenient to your lifestyle. The Internet lives by this decree.

Forward this to 10 of your friends if you agree. And Friend it on Facebook. And Follow it on Twitter.

LOLZ this guys is hilarious, i agree with everything he says.

THIS^

he's dead right on what he says here because he's the living embodiment of it. he promotes himself and his whump whump lifestyle just as he stated. nothing funny there, it's reality.

KrispyKritter:I drunk what: Ishkur: It's called Slacktivism: How to contribute to a cause or purpose without it being in any way costly, time-consuming, disruptive or inconvenient to your lifestyle. The Internet lives by this decree.

Forward this to 10 of your friends if you agree. And Friend it on Facebook. And Follow it on Twitter.

LOLZ this guys is hilarious, i agree with everything he says.

THIS^

he's dead right on what he says here because he's the living embodiment of it. he promotes himself and his whump whump lifestyle just as he stated. nothing funny there, it's reality.

Nemo's Brother:Ishkur: It's called Slacktivism: How to contribute to a cause or purpose without it being in any way costly, time-consuming, disruptive or inconvenient to your lifestyle. The Internet lives by this decree.

Forward this to 10 of your friends if you agree. And Friend it on Facebook. And Follow it on Twitter.

Wonder how many people went to the New Republic article rather than the i09 summary of it. An interesting commentary on both cyber-utopianism (internet fixes everything) and "lets make everything like the internet".

I drunk what:Ishkur: It's called Slacktivism: How to contribute to a cause or purpose without it being in any way costly, time-consuming, disruptive or inconvenient to your lifestyle. The Internet lives by this decree.

Forward this to 10 of your friends if you agree. And Friend it on Facebook. And Follow it on Twitter.

narkor:Wonder how many people went to the New Republic article rather than the i09 summary of it. An interesting commentary on both cyber-utopianism (internet fixes everything) and "lets make everything like the internet".

This.

New Republic article was a meaty read with interesting points.

Annalee Witz and Gawker ate it and just threw up their semi digested vomit on us.

Ishkur:It's called Slacktivism: How to contribute to a cause or purpose without it being in any way costly, time-consuming, disruptive or inconvenient to your lifestyle. The Internet lives by this decree.